After Yang Fan's woodworking factory went under, he was left without an income, and day by day his situation grew more desperate. He could only gather scraps around the factory and sell them for recycling to make ends meet. But there were only so many scraps to collect, and he was too proud to go out scavenging, so the things he could sell dwindled by the day. Soon, he was spending more than he earned, and even getting enough to eat became a serious problem. He wanted to return to the warmth of home, but when he decided to start his own business, he had sworn to his family that he would not come back until he had made something of himself. Now, in such a sorry state, how could he face them? He wanted to find a job and solve the problem of keeping food on the table, but he was unwilling to settle. After all, he had once owned a knitting factory and a woodworking factory, employing dozens of workers. He had been a respectable entrepreneur. He could not adjust to the idea of working for someone else overnight. But if he did nothing, how could he deal with the immediate problem of putting food on the table? People need food to live, and one missed meal leaves you hungry. His predicament was all too real. Yang Fan racked his brains: was there a way to make money without putting up any capital? Suddenly, inspiration struck. He remembered seeing an employment agency in the provincial capital. The investment there was practically zero: set up a desk, sit down, and earn money just by talking to job seekers and making introductions. He thought, “Isn't this business tailor-made for me?” He decided to go for it, and began making preparations.
